Dagger
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Steel, nephrite, gold, ruby
Dimensions
L. 14 in. (35.6 cm); L. of blade 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm); W. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm); D. 1 1/16 in. (2.7 cm); Wt. 9.4 oz. (266.5 g)
Classification
Daggers
Culture
Indian, Mughal
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number
36.25.651
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 18th-century Mughal from India exemplifies the opulent fusion of functionality and artistry in the imperial workshops of the Mughal Empire.ed from a sharp steel blade measuring 9¼ inches, it features a nephrite (jade) hilt adorned with gold inlays and vibrant rubies, suggesting ram motifs—a tag hinting at symbolic ram heads that evoke strength and virility, common in Islamic and South Asian iconography. At 14 inches overall and weighing just 9.4 ounces, its design balanced lethal precision with wearable elegance for elite warriors or courtiers. In the lavish courts of Mughal em...